Sensory Table

“Welcome or welcome back to my  channel my name is Maria and welcome to this   year's updated ultimate toddler gift guide we've  got a hundred different ideas for items that are   going to encourage and foster active play from  your child I've got a wide variety of items   whether you've got a young toddler or one that  is going to be a preschooler soon you're bound   to find something that's going to work for them  I did separate the items into categories that I   will have as chapters down below but a lot of  them do cross over so I encourage you to watch   the entire video to get an idea of what might  work for your family all of the items as well   as any discount codes I've got for you are going  to be down in the description box below and I will   have a separate section in my Amazon storefront  dedicated to this year's gift guide as well as   the gift guide that I put out last year and just  like last year's Play Guide these items will work   whether you have a Montessori home or not items  we're talking about this year are completely   different from what we discussed last year so if  you need more ideas at the end of this video I   will go ahead and Link last year's gift guide for  you as well [Music] let's jump straight into our   first category which is building if your child  is interested in building something as large as   possible or building a super tall tower something  like these jumbo blocks may be a very interesting   option especially if you've got a much younger  sibling because they are made of cardboard so   even if they topple down they're not going to hurt  anybody an alternative to the Magnatlies that we   discussed last year are these magnetic tiles  that are not only hollow in the center which   makes them a bit easier to manipulate they also  have much stronger magnets so if you find that   regular Magnatiles aren't working for your child  this might be an interesting option to consider if   your child is interested in sensory play as well  as building something like Bristle Blocks might   be an interesting option for you as well because  of the way they're configured it's much easier for   the child to make a connection meaning they can  get a lot more creative with what they're trying   to build just like building blocks and Legos you  do have different configurations you can get a   smaller set as well as a larger set or one that  has a specific theme something like this Safari   set as well for more creative and challenging  type of building we can take a look at these Haba   chromatix blocks they come together into one Cube  but you do also have these different cards that   allowed the child to see the different patterns  and the different shapes that you can create with   the blocks or we've also got HABA's palette of  pegs this is one that's a great investment even   if you've got a younger toddler because you  can first use it simply as posting practice   and eventually threading practice and getting the  Rings onto the pegs you can also use it for color   matching as well as pattern making and eventually  the child will figure out that they can also build   these out to be quite tall but they have to be  quite careful because it takes a lot of refined   movement not to topple everything over a type of  building plate that definitely straddles the line   with pretently is Building train tracks if you  haven't yet looked into getting a set of train   tracks for your child it's definitely something  to consider not only does it allow the child to   get quite creative in all the different tracks  that they're building also allows for a lot of   pretend play and open-ended play there's a variety  of different brands and configurations but the   great thing is a lot of them do tend to interlock  and work together so if you find something that   you like from one or the other you're usually able  to mix and match another option for the child who   loves everything that moves and also building are  these automoblox these are cars that you can put   together but if you've got more than one of the  cars you can actually take them apart and mix   and match the different pieces to make a new cars  each time or for the child who's very interested   in all the intricate details of cars something  like these Bruder cars while an investment are   definitely a very interesting option to look into  as well their cars are typically much larger but   they are very detail oriented and they do show  the child how the car actually works a more   affordable alternative are these plane as well as  school bus from Melissa and Doug what's great is   they do come with little people inside so again  we're working on posting practice but it allows   that extra opportunity for pretend play this is  especially great to incorporate if your child is   going to be taking either a school bus or a plane  anytime soon you take all this a step further and   incorporate some kind of little town setup for  the child to explore this is especially great if   you've got a child who's not interested in doll  houses per se but they are interested in how   things move around and all the different parts  of our town but if your child is interested in   doll houses there's definitely not a shortage  of different dollhouse options for them as well   including the smaller option from Melissa and  Doug that also allows the child to safely work   on opening and closing locks in a toddler safe way  and we discuss different types of dolls in last   year's gift guide but there's been a new type of  doll that we discovered this year that has become   an absolute favorite for us and those are the  dolls from Hazel Village Hazel Village makes high   quality soft dolls that are handmade and they're  ethically made I love that they have an option   whether your child likes to play with a doll that  looks more like them or they prefer to play with   little animal dolls instead they also come with  beautiful outfits which have been great for when   we moved into the stage of trying to figure out  how the whole process of getting dressed works and   speaking of doll clothes if you don't already have  an extra set of clothes for the dolls this might   be a great option to add especially if you've  got a child who's become interested in getting   dressed but they're getting frustrated with their  own clothes allowing them to explore dolls and   the clothes that the dolls have usually allows  for an easier way for them to get started with   that process and other items to consider adding  into the pretend play mix is something like a   stroller for the dolls as well as a dishware set  or a cookware set while you already may have a set   of pretend play food for your child to explore  this ice cream parlor set from Melissa and Doug   is a very interesting option to look into as well  not only is it great for pretend play as well as   the fine motor skills of actually getting the ice  cream to stack on top of each other it also does   come with some instruction cards which allows the  child to work on following those instructions in   a written form something like a visual recipe  also a wonderful introduction into the concept   of money and exchanging money for goods if this  is something that you found your child has become   very interested in that type of pretend playset  that I think is incredibly important for every   child to have is one that is a doctor play kit  especially between the ages of two and three   it has become an incredibly important part of  our household and getting ready before we go   to the doctor allows the child to explore all of  these items that might seem scary at the doctor's   office in a way that is going to be a lot more  approachable to them in the house we also take   all these items with us to the doctor's office and  she enjoys actually comparing all the items that   she has with the items that the doctor has this  is the set that we have and it's worked perfectly   fine for us but if you prefer something that's  going to be all wooden there is this option as   well let's also take a look at some games that we  can play with our child now that they've entered   toddlerhood a really fun game that doubles  as nesting and stacking practice is where's   bear which is really fun for the child who is  interested in hiding something and discovering   it all over again also presents a lot of wonderful  language opportunities as we try to describe where   the barrel might be monkey around is a more  silly game that allows the child to really   get their energy out and might be a wonderful  option to explore as we head into the colder   months animal upon animals junior is an easier  version of the animal upon animals game that we   talked about in last year's guide so if you've got  a younger toddler this might be a better option to   look into Forest Friends is a very interesting  but a bit more complex of a game that works the   child's memory skills if your child is interested  in memory games but they're not quite at the stage   where they can play The Forest Friends game a  simple memory game like this one with animals   or this one that I think is absolutely wonderful  that I never forget a face memory game might be   a great starting point aside from board games  something that's great to do together with your   child is simply move our bodies around this series  is one that I absolutely love the pictures are   very simple and easy for the child to follow and  they're very recognizable images that the child   is very interested in replicating from other  gross motor items to explore is something like   these balancing Stones these are great because you  can also stack them up to be different heights so   not only is the child working on balancing at  an uneven surface they can also work on going   up and going down and also simply incorporate  a balancing beam or something like this entire   balancing set that allows for even more obstacle  course opportunities and while it might not seem   like it bean bags is also a wonderful item to  incorporate into gross motor activities especially   when we're making a giant obstacle course this is  usually something that I'll put at the end so we   can work on that throwing skill some gross motor  items that we can take outside when it's warm   enough to do so is something like a soccer set  that allows the child to not only get their energy   out but also work on their hand-eyed and foot  coordination if you have the space for a garden   outside why not introduce a little gardening set  to allow your child to join you as well or perhaps   their own little picnic table that allows you to  incorporate even more outside time even if it's   just for something like snack time or an option  like this that doubles as a sensory table outside   as well and a very simple item that we always  have on hand for outdoor gross motor plate is   some sidewalk shots so we can not only practice  just drawing things we can also create again some   more obstacle courses and practice jumping from  different figures or even starting to learn some   Hopscotch speaking of drawing let's look into some  of the more artistic type of gifts if your child   is pretty confident with crayon and something like  oil pastels might be a very interesting option to   explore we just recently introduced these to our  toddler and she has been absolutely loving it it's   great to pair with either construction paper or  a specific black sketch bed because it really   makes the colors pop and it's a very different  experience from drawing with crayons on white   paper you can also explore watercolor crayons  which first glide on just like regular crayons   but then you can use water to blend them out which  allows you to explore two different mediums at   once if you haven't done so already you can also  explore traditional watercolor paints compare them   with a watercolor sketch pad as well as a little  Smock to make sure your child stays nice and clean   and while drying and playing vertically is very  important for child's development if you don't   have the space for an easel and you don't want the  mess that comes with putting a piece of paper up   on a wall you might want to consider exploring  something like this vertical Buddha paper which   allows the child to simply draw with water and  then the paper dries up and they can restart the   whole process all over again other art items  to consider are some hole punches that create   different shapes or if your child is ready you  may introduce Child Safe scissors as well as some   construction paper for them to cut up and stickers  are always going to be be a huge hit they not only   work to fine motor skills they're also wonderful  for creating different scenes for a pretend play   as well as exploring different themes personally  I've invested in these collections from Melissa   and Doug and I simply cut out smaller portions  of the large papers of stickers so we're able   to keep using them for a much longer time on the  musical side of things if you've only got some of   the basic musical instruments something you might  consider is introducing a harmonica or perhaps a   drum which allows your child to explore Rhythm  if there's a jump from your specific culture   that would be a wonderful time to introduce  some cultural elements into your play space as   well personally I have this Korean drum for Stella  may also explore getting a smaller piano for your   child there's this option from Melissa and Doug or  this one that we personally have we also have this   instruments puzzle over in our music Corner that  allows to listen to what different instruments   sound like and a musical item that has become  a lifesaver for us especially now that we're   traveling is the Yoto especially the Yoto mini  we paired it with a little travel case where we   can also store all of our different cards as well  as some kid safe headphones so she has everything   she needs when we're on a plane if you're not  familiar with the Yoto player it's a screen   free way for children to independently listen to  music very easy for little hands to figure out   how to use it so they can independently listen to  music you can choose from a selection of music and   audiobook cards that they already have or you can  simply make your own speaking of traveling if you   are a family that travels with your child some  travel specific gifts might include something   like their own dollar carry-on suitcase because  it's more traditional style or this one that we   personally went with that also converts into a  little backpack this gives our toddlers a sense   of control and a very chaotic time because they're  able to collect all of their little activities in   one specific spot and have something that they're  at least in control of another travel specific   item is this LCD writing screen which is nice  compact way for the child to simply draw when   they're on the go or something like a sticker  activity book that combines a toddler's love for   stickers with some of the classic activities  that they tend to love like matching or item   to silhouette matching I know there are some of  you who follow my channel who are also Korean or   have Korean families the Pororo books have been a  wonderful way for us to not only explore stickers   and all these different concepts but to also have  an additional need for speaking Korean if you've   got an older toddler or preschooler and they're  very interested in the concept of getting their   picture taken or taking pictures and looking  at them especially when you're out and about   on travels something like their own camera might  be a very interesting option to explore as well   there's kids instant cameras that allow the child  to Simply have the picture right then and they   are printed out for them or something that's a  simpler option is a kid's digital camera and a   category of items that we always have with us  when we are traveling or books these are some   of the books that I wanted to highlight because  I think they're not usually ones you would think   about getting for a toddler these encyclopedias  from DK have been a wonderful resource when we get   really interested into one specific topic present  a lot of wonderful language opportunities and a   lot of chances for the child to Simply do some  item to picture matching in a different way as   well as this series of fact books these are just  three of the many options that they have available   they present a lot of beautiful images of the  different consoles that they're talking about   they also present a lot of very interesting and  unique facts that are great talking points when   we're looking at these books we're often pairing  them with little figurines especially if we're   very interested in a specific topic last year we  talked about all the different animal figurines   and this time I wanted to point out some other  types of figurines that you can incorporate   into your play space as well something like this  matching puzzle might also be a very interesting   option to explore this one in particular explores  different occupations and matching them to their   different Vehicles you can also explore different  occupations through this Melissa and duck puzzle   or a different puzzle that incorporates a lot of  dress up as well as some social emotional learning   is this bear dress-up puzzle this has been an  absolute favorite for the past year for us other   options if your child is getting interested  in exploring jigsaw puzzles is something   like this three-piece jigsaw puzzle that explores  matching the head to the tail of an animal or this   four-piece jigsaw puzzle which is definitely a bit  more complex but because it is wooden it's a lot   easier to manipulate than the actual jigsaw puzzle  material another type of puzzle to explore are   these pattern black style puzzles this is great  for younger Toddlers and eventually prepares them   for exploring these kind of tanagram puzzles this  one in particular is great because it is magnetic   so you can take it on the go and it does come  with the actual background picture so your child   can match each piece one by one which I can really  grasp the concept of using these different shapes   to make a more abstract image a different type of  puzzle is this glove that also is a puzzle so you   can take all the different continents out and  put them back in again especially great if your   child is interested in things like monuments  or your family that travels and your child is   very interested in figuring out where it is that  you are in the world another option to consider   is this gears jigsaw puzzle all of the jigsaw  pieces are the same so it's a lot easier to get   that concept down and make an actual row of Jigsaw  pieces then getting the gears on top and getting   them to rotate is a lot of discoveries in cause  and effect a couple other activities that have   lasted us through the past year of tumblerhood  and are still in rotation and still receiving a   lot of love this Geo board that really works a  lot of fine motor skills in getting the rubber   bands to pull apart getting them onto the geoboard  making different patterns or color matching making   different shapes eventually the child will pick  up that they're actually able to create shapes   and with those shapes they're actually able to  make different pictures this item is definitely   something that will grow with your child well  into their preschool years as well lacing beads   is another one that will definitely grow with  your child as they first figure out how to get the   beads onto the lace eventually they can start to  make their own patterns with this as well there's   Bears color matching activity has also grown with  us we first work on simply matching the Bears to   the different cups eventually we introduced these  tongues that allowed the child to work this motion   that they need for getting ready for scissors  it does also come with a little dice so you can   eventually make this into a game where you take  turns getting the Bears into the correct cups   two additional items that are really fun for the  child interested in the more scientific side of   things are these balance buckets I love this scale  in particular because it allows us to use either   dried items or water and this magnet set from  learning resources this is definitely something   that if you've got a toddler it's going to be a  supervised activity that you do together but it   is something that's been a lot of fun for us to  do together as an entire family and see how all   the different magnets interact and a quick shout  out to two really fun bath toys are these balloon   pipes as well as Boon cogs the final category is  one that has become particularly popular for gifts   especially one that you give to somebody else  and that is subscription boxes if you're not new   to my channel you know that I'm very particular  with these but there are two subscription boxes   that I would recommend taking a look at first  is Tiny earth toys which allows you to actually   rent Montessori friendly and Waldorf toys on  a bi-monthly basis they have some very unique   incredibly high quality items in their collection  some of the items that I actually have on this   gift guide as well this is an especially great  option if you've got a younger child and you don't   want to be investing in toys that are not going to  last too long or you're looking to try out items   that you're not sure would actually be of interest  to your child or especially if you're living in a   smaller space and you just don't have the space to  store toys when they're out of rotation I recently   did a video with them so I'm going to link that  for you if you're interested in learning more   about them and I do have a discount code that  they offer to pass along to you guys the other   subscription box provides additional activities  that are really going to complement what you   likely already have and that is little passport I  appreciate that they're actually unique activities   and not just toys that I can simply purchase on  Amazon by myself they have a variety of options   for different ages and different themes of  interest but if you're not interested in a   subscription service per se but you do want to  check out some specific activities you do have   the option to purchase individual Standalone  activities and items as well again I do have a   discount code until the end of the year for them  so again that will be down in the description   box as well and that is 100 different ideas for  your toddler whether you've got a younger toddler   or one that's closer to preschool age if you do  still need more additional ideas I do have last   year's download gift guide that has 100 different  items for you to look at as well I hope this is   giving you some ideas and you enjoy the upcoming  holidays and until next time I hope you stay safe [Music]”